Download - SMS access to 112' document
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
1
EENA Operations Document
SMS
Access to 112
Title SMS access to 112 Version 10 Code 2012_06_18_211_SMS_v10doc
Revision Date 18-06-2012 Status of the document
Draft For comments Approved
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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Contributors to this document
This document was written by members of the EENA Operations Committee
Members Country Organisation
Bergstrom Gunnar SOS Alarm Sweden
Bousema Alexander The Netherlands
Bovim Egil KOKOM Norway
Bruck Charles Rescue Services Agency Civil Protection Division Luxembourg
Gislason Toacutemas 112 Iceland Iceland
Jakel Alina Rescue Department Estonia
Maroscikas Tadas Emergency Response Centre Lithuania
Medland John BT UK
Mertka William Motorola Solutions
Nieminen Marko ERC Administration Finland
OrsquoBrien Tony Comisioacuten for Communications Regulation Ireland
Palm Per SOS Alarm Sweden
Lumbreras Cristina EENA
Skoglund Bjoumlrn SOS Alarm Sweden
Tamm Kaili Estonian Emergency Response Centre Estonia
Terpstra Tjerk Tjeter Van Hunnik Chris KLPD The Netherlands
Vandedrink Jan Federal Internal Public Service Belgium
Yigit Esra Antalya 112 Emergency Call Center Turkey
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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Table of contents
1 Introduction 4 2 General use of SMS 4 3 Use of SMS for emergency services 5
31 Emergency SMS for people with communication disabilities 5 32 Silent emergency situations 5 33 Public Warning systems based on SMS 5 34 Strengths and opportunities of the use of SMS 5 35 Weaknesses and threats of the use of SMS 5
4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access 6 41 SMS overview 6 42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls 7 43 Roaming 7 44 Localisation 8 45 Integration in PSAP interface 8
5 Procedures in emergency services 8 51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed) 8 52 Handling an SMS call 9 53 Pre-configured messages 9
6 Recommendations 10 7 EENA Requirements 10 ANNEX I Examples of implementations 11
Estonia 11 Iceland 12 Ireland 13 Luxembourg 13 The Netherlands 13 Sweden 14 UK 16
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 112 17
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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1 Introduction
The European emergency number 112 which is used to contact emergency services free of charge all over the EU is currently not accessible by other means than voice calls in the majority of countries It is crucial
that local citizens and foreign travelers are able to access appropriate emergency services whenever they need them and to have confidence that they will be able to do so This is even more important if we take increasing mobility of people within the EU and the growth of the European Union into account Voice communication between citizen in distress and emergency services is not always possible The Silent hang up and abandoned calls EENA Operations Document1 details circumstances where it can happen that
producing any sound to communicate to emergency services can put the person in an even worse situation Silent communication like SMS could in these cases safe lives Furthermore people with hearing and speaking disabilities are likely to face great barriers to communicate with emergency services in case of need In 2009 the revised Universal Service Directive invited Member
States to ensure that access for disabled end users to emergency services is equivalent to that enjoyed by other end users SMS cannot be considered as a full equivalent access solution but can be suitable for people
with disabilities to access emergency services The document reviews needs of non-voice communication between citizen and emergency services available SMS technology its strengths and weaknesses and implementations in European countries in order to share best practices and experiences
2 General use of SMS
More than 330 billion SMS and MMS messages are sent per year2 The growth in mobile messaging traffic was
very strong until 2010 with growth of 23 per annum from 2000 to 2009 This represents on average 54 mobile messages sent per head of population per month The vast majority of citizens send text messages as communication tool
There are significant differences in patterns of use across countries In Lithuania mobile users send an average of 173 SMS messages per month while the level in Bulgaria is only 6 SMS messages per month
Public services are also taking advantage of the use of mobile services and applications They are already helping citizens to monitor and improve their wellbeing through designated applications and services SMS alert services to remind patients about medical and dental appointments and display results are improving the efficiency of health services
Despite the remarkable growth of mobile email Web applications instant messaging social media and multimedia messaging the use of SMS remains very high Europe is a mature market segment3 for SMS services and people feel comfortable using them
1 Silent hang-up and abandoned calls EENA OD httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
2 European Mobile Industry Observatory 2011 httpwwwgsmacomdocumentsdownload-full-report-pdf-2-73-mb21097 3 ldquoOperatorsrsquo SMS Revenues Will Peak in 2003 And SMS Volumes Will Stagnate In 2004 Forrester Contendsrdquo
httpwwwforrestercomERPressRelease0176970900html
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3 Use of SMS for emergency services
31 Emergency SMS for people with communication disabilities
Some countries (see Annex I and II) have decided to open SMS access to emergency services only to people
with communication disabilities To be able to employ this service users may have to be pre-registered in the PSAP database and this way be identified by the emergency services operator when their call or SMS arrives to the emergency call centre The procedure to register is normally to fill a form (sometimes on-line) Name and phone number of the person with communication disabilities is then recorded If a citizen with communications disabilities needs help from emergency services (s)he sends an SMS This
SMS is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and in most cases a chat between the emergency services operator and the person in distress takes place
32 Silent emergency situations
In the majority of emergency circumstances a voice call will be adequate to warn emergency services It is the more direct and interactive way of communication However there are cases where to produce any noise can put the person in distress in an even more dangerous situation Kidnapping eyewitnesses reporting are examples of these kind of situations (see Emergency Silent Hang-Up and Abandoned 112 Calls EENA
Operations Document)
33 Public Warning systems based on SMS
Another use of SMS technology is the public warning See Public Warning EENA Operations Committee4
34 Strengths and opportunities of the use of SMS
As described in section 2 of this document SMS is a very common way of communication One of the most important advantages is that citizens have no need to use a different device they can just contact emergency
services with their mobile phones No special software or hardware is needed In wilderness areas where the signal strength may be weak make a voice call to 112 might not be possible
but sending an SMS to 112 could still work
35 Weaknesses and threats of the use of SMS
Voice communication when possible should be the primary way of interaction between the person in need of help and the call-taker Communication with text messages is slower and abrupt and call-taker is not able to make conclusions from breathing voices etc When assessing the situation becomes harder because of the lack of background noises there is a higher risk of needless dispatching 112 SMS is an economic issue for PSAPs as well As described in the annexes of this document call-taker involvement time in average in handling a 112 SMS has been even 7-8 times longer than handling a 112 call
In a worst case scenario PSAPs would need much more resources to keep up the present service level Furthermore 112 SMS must no become a shortcut to the emergency services and all different types of contacts to 112 should be treated equally and in the same queue
Malicious action towards emergency services is already a big problem in almost every country so 112 SMS service should not increase this problem Pre-registration could minimize this risk as persons willing to use the
service could be forced to go through the terms of use and a learning package Limiting the service for only persons with disabilities minimizes the risks even more 112 SMS handling process in overflow situations must also be solved
4 httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
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4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access
41 SMS overview
Any mobile subscriber with a phone and a service that support SMS can send or receive SMS messages In this section SMS services main characteristics are described5 Length and type Each message can contain up to 160 alphanumeric characters Some non-text-based
formats such as binary are also supported for specialized uses such as ringtones and images
Storage and forwarding Messages can be stored and forwarded because they are not sent directly from sender to receiver but pass through an SMS message center
Confirmation Information about message delivery is always received whether the message is delivered
or not
Simultaneous traffic Because the mechanism for transmitting SMS messages is separated from the
voice path of any particular call short messages can be sent and received at the same time as voice data and fax calls For this reason SMS users usually do not receive busy signals
Increased length mdash Methods for concatenating several short messages and compressing messages are
defined and incorporated in the standard
When an SMS message is sent from an SMS-capable cell phone the message is handled no differently than a normal call setup it moves from the cell phone to a base station to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
From the mobile switching center the SMS message moves inside the SS7 network to the Short Messaging Service Center (SMSC) a standard part of the network The SMSC queries the Home Location Register (HLR) to find out where the recipient of the message is and whether or not he or she is switched on to receive a message If not the SMSC stores the message until it can be delivered Storage time may differ from one mobile service provider to other
The diagram depicts a simplified call flow for a successful submission of a mobile originated short message[1]
5 SMS Messaging in SS7 Networks Optimizing Revenue with Modular Components
httpwwwdialogiccom~mediaproductsdocssignaling-and-ss7-componentsSMS_Messg_SS7_Net_Opt_Rev_Mod_Comppdf
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MSC ndash Mobile Switching Center SMSC ndash Short Message Service Center HLR ndash Home Location Register VLR ndash Visitor Location Register
42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls
Communication of emergency situation through SMS differs from 112 emergency voice calls from a technical point of view
- Difficulties to route to the most appropriate PSAP - Long time of call not real-time communication
- Network from a network perspective SMS messages to 112 are not defined as an emergency communication like voice calls to 112 are
o Total prioritisation of SMS not possible o Possible technical delays (eg bad weather big disasters big planned events etc) o Delivery confirmation the SMS has arrived to the device no confirmation that has been read o Positioning and location of SMS not available in most cases o ldquo112rdquo as short code not always available o SMS to 112 may not work (depending of the countries) if the phone is out of credit and
despite the fact that the SMS to 112 is free to the citizen
- Device o Working SIM card needed o Available memory of the phone needed
- Difficulties to be free of charge
43 Roaming
To send a SMS is only possible if international roaming has been activated by the user As 112 calls are treated as emergency calls they can be made even if roaming has not been activated by the customer This will not be the case for 112 SMS If a foreign mobile phone is roaming on a foreign country network an SMS to 112 they send is handled within
their own ldquohomerdquo network and the message will not get delivered to the foreign country ldquohostrdquo network Even if the foreign mobile phone is roaming (for voice) an SMS to 112 is not delivered (eg Icelandic phone in Spain sending SMS to 112 may end up in Reykjarvik) This is the reason why ldquo112rdquo code for foreign phones is not always accessible it requires the short-code 112 or an alternative number being made available
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National roaming not available If a national mobile has no coverage signal from its mobile operator 112 calls will still be made using another mobile operatorrsquos network with coverage for the callerrsquos location This is not be the case for SMS
44 Localisation
Automatic caller location is not included in the standard for SMS The citizen must normally provide this information during the SMS transaction with the first PSAP call-taker Location could be however possible via other localisations method for the device
To avoid the lack of SMS location in some countries or regions (eg in some regions of Spain) the person with communication disabilities in distress starts communication with the emergency centre making a 112 call and this way the call is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and located After this the interchanging of SMS begins In UK the SMS arrives at the PSAP with location information after a specially provided request on the LBS of the MNOrsquos using same protocol as for voice calls
Some providers give subscribers the possibility of sending an SMS from a website Of course location
information is completely impossible then The CLI (mobile number) of the subscriber is sent with the SMS so a pull query on a LBS system could be used for these situations
45 Integration in PSAP interface
SMS 112 functionality should be integrated in the PSAP network system (communication channels and principles of sendingreceiving datamessages from Mobile Operator to the PSAP technical solutiongateway) Functionality for handling SMS112 should be integrated into the PSAP case handling software and records generated as emergency voice calls 112 SMS and 112 calls should be treated equally according to queue
time
5 Procedures in emergency services
51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed)
In most countries registration is mandatory to use the 112 SMS service In the majority of them only people with disabilities are allowed to register In this section different pre-registration procedures are described
Registration by SMS The citizen can register by simply sending an SMS with the word ldquoregisterrdquo to 112 A response message is sent indicating that the userrsquos mobile phone number is now registered This message also encourages citizens to proceed to a dedicated page on the website whereby they can provide further information In the event that an SMS is received the information here can be used to assist the emergency services following a ldquolook-uprdquo by the call taker This procedure is being used in Ireland6 The Irish112 SMS system is open to all citizens
Registration by SMS and disclosure signature It is similar to the previously described procedure but a disclosure is sent to the user In some countries it recommends the user to continue to seek help in any other possible ways until the SMS is acknowledged by the PSAP After the disclosure is agreed by the citizen a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
On-line registration and agreement signature To be able to use SMS emergency service a pre registration
is needed using a Web page In some countries after registration an agreement is sent to the user for
signing In others conditions have to be read and agreed by the user in the same web site Once the procedure is completed a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use This procedure (or similar) is being used in Sweden Spain (in some PSAPs) and others
Registration of user has some disadvantages SMS users may feel that they are not treated as voice call users ie in order to make a 112 call it is not
necessary to register Furthermore people do not like to be registered as a special group in a society If the citizen changes hisher mobile phone number heshe must register this new number again
Consequently this can cause inconsistencies in the database However if the citizen switches mobile phone network provider (and retains hisher mobile phone number re-registration is not required)
Administrative work has to be done to keep the database up-to-date
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One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
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6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
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ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
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o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
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Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
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o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
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- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
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- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
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disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
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end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
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20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
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Contributors to this document
This document was written by members of the EENA Operations Committee
Members Country Organisation
Bergstrom Gunnar SOS Alarm Sweden
Bousema Alexander The Netherlands
Bovim Egil KOKOM Norway
Bruck Charles Rescue Services Agency Civil Protection Division Luxembourg
Gislason Toacutemas 112 Iceland Iceland
Jakel Alina Rescue Department Estonia
Maroscikas Tadas Emergency Response Centre Lithuania
Medland John BT UK
Mertka William Motorola Solutions
Nieminen Marko ERC Administration Finland
OrsquoBrien Tony Comisioacuten for Communications Regulation Ireland
Palm Per SOS Alarm Sweden
Lumbreras Cristina EENA
Skoglund Bjoumlrn SOS Alarm Sweden
Tamm Kaili Estonian Emergency Response Centre Estonia
Terpstra Tjerk Tjeter Van Hunnik Chris KLPD The Netherlands
Vandedrink Jan Federal Internal Public Service Belgium
Yigit Esra Antalya 112 Emergency Call Center Turkey
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3
Table of contents
1 Introduction 4 2 General use of SMS 4 3 Use of SMS for emergency services 5
31 Emergency SMS for people with communication disabilities 5 32 Silent emergency situations 5 33 Public Warning systems based on SMS 5 34 Strengths and opportunities of the use of SMS 5 35 Weaknesses and threats of the use of SMS 5
4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access 6 41 SMS overview 6 42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls 7 43 Roaming 7 44 Localisation 8 45 Integration in PSAP interface 8
5 Procedures in emergency services 8 51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed) 8 52 Handling an SMS call 9 53 Pre-configured messages 9
6 Recommendations 10 7 EENA Requirements 10 ANNEX I Examples of implementations 11
Estonia 11 Iceland 12 Ireland 13 Luxembourg 13 The Netherlands 13 Sweden 14 UK 16
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 112 17
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1 Introduction
The European emergency number 112 which is used to contact emergency services free of charge all over the EU is currently not accessible by other means than voice calls in the majority of countries It is crucial
that local citizens and foreign travelers are able to access appropriate emergency services whenever they need them and to have confidence that they will be able to do so This is even more important if we take increasing mobility of people within the EU and the growth of the European Union into account Voice communication between citizen in distress and emergency services is not always possible The Silent hang up and abandoned calls EENA Operations Document1 details circumstances where it can happen that
producing any sound to communicate to emergency services can put the person in an even worse situation Silent communication like SMS could in these cases safe lives Furthermore people with hearing and speaking disabilities are likely to face great barriers to communicate with emergency services in case of need In 2009 the revised Universal Service Directive invited Member
States to ensure that access for disabled end users to emergency services is equivalent to that enjoyed by other end users SMS cannot be considered as a full equivalent access solution but can be suitable for people
with disabilities to access emergency services The document reviews needs of non-voice communication between citizen and emergency services available SMS technology its strengths and weaknesses and implementations in European countries in order to share best practices and experiences
2 General use of SMS
More than 330 billion SMS and MMS messages are sent per year2 The growth in mobile messaging traffic was
very strong until 2010 with growth of 23 per annum from 2000 to 2009 This represents on average 54 mobile messages sent per head of population per month The vast majority of citizens send text messages as communication tool
There are significant differences in patterns of use across countries In Lithuania mobile users send an average of 173 SMS messages per month while the level in Bulgaria is only 6 SMS messages per month
Public services are also taking advantage of the use of mobile services and applications They are already helping citizens to monitor and improve their wellbeing through designated applications and services SMS alert services to remind patients about medical and dental appointments and display results are improving the efficiency of health services
Despite the remarkable growth of mobile email Web applications instant messaging social media and multimedia messaging the use of SMS remains very high Europe is a mature market segment3 for SMS services and people feel comfortable using them
1 Silent hang-up and abandoned calls EENA OD httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
2 European Mobile Industry Observatory 2011 httpwwwgsmacomdocumentsdownload-full-report-pdf-2-73-mb21097 3 ldquoOperatorsrsquo SMS Revenues Will Peak in 2003 And SMS Volumes Will Stagnate In 2004 Forrester Contendsrdquo
httpwwwforrestercomERPressRelease0176970900html
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3 Use of SMS for emergency services
31 Emergency SMS for people with communication disabilities
Some countries (see Annex I and II) have decided to open SMS access to emergency services only to people
with communication disabilities To be able to employ this service users may have to be pre-registered in the PSAP database and this way be identified by the emergency services operator when their call or SMS arrives to the emergency call centre The procedure to register is normally to fill a form (sometimes on-line) Name and phone number of the person with communication disabilities is then recorded If a citizen with communications disabilities needs help from emergency services (s)he sends an SMS This
SMS is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and in most cases a chat between the emergency services operator and the person in distress takes place
32 Silent emergency situations
In the majority of emergency circumstances a voice call will be adequate to warn emergency services It is the more direct and interactive way of communication However there are cases where to produce any noise can put the person in distress in an even more dangerous situation Kidnapping eyewitnesses reporting are examples of these kind of situations (see Emergency Silent Hang-Up and Abandoned 112 Calls EENA
Operations Document)
33 Public Warning systems based on SMS
Another use of SMS technology is the public warning See Public Warning EENA Operations Committee4
34 Strengths and opportunities of the use of SMS
As described in section 2 of this document SMS is a very common way of communication One of the most important advantages is that citizens have no need to use a different device they can just contact emergency
services with their mobile phones No special software or hardware is needed In wilderness areas where the signal strength may be weak make a voice call to 112 might not be possible
but sending an SMS to 112 could still work
35 Weaknesses and threats of the use of SMS
Voice communication when possible should be the primary way of interaction between the person in need of help and the call-taker Communication with text messages is slower and abrupt and call-taker is not able to make conclusions from breathing voices etc When assessing the situation becomes harder because of the lack of background noises there is a higher risk of needless dispatching 112 SMS is an economic issue for PSAPs as well As described in the annexes of this document call-taker involvement time in average in handling a 112 SMS has been even 7-8 times longer than handling a 112 call
In a worst case scenario PSAPs would need much more resources to keep up the present service level Furthermore 112 SMS must no become a shortcut to the emergency services and all different types of contacts to 112 should be treated equally and in the same queue
Malicious action towards emergency services is already a big problem in almost every country so 112 SMS service should not increase this problem Pre-registration could minimize this risk as persons willing to use the
service could be forced to go through the terms of use and a learning package Limiting the service for only persons with disabilities minimizes the risks even more 112 SMS handling process in overflow situations must also be solved
4 httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
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4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access
41 SMS overview
Any mobile subscriber with a phone and a service that support SMS can send or receive SMS messages In this section SMS services main characteristics are described5 Length and type Each message can contain up to 160 alphanumeric characters Some non-text-based
formats such as binary are also supported for specialized uses such as ringtones and images
Storage and forwarding Messages can be stored and forwarded because they are not sent directly from sender to receiver but pass through an SMS message center
Confirmation Information about message delivery is always received whether the message is delivered
or not
Simultaneous traffic Because the mechanism for transmitting SMS messages is separated from the
voice path of any particular call short messages can be sent and received at the same time as voice data and fax calls For this reason SMS users usually do not receive busy signals
Increased length mdash Methods for concatenating several short messages and compressing messages are
defined and incorporated in the standard
When an SMS message is sent from an SMS-capable cell phone the message is handled no differently than a normal call setup it moves from the cell phone to a base station to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
From the mobile switching center the SMS message moves inside the SS7 network to the Short Messaging Service Center (SMSC) a standard part of the network The SMSC queries the Home Location Register (HLR) to find out where the recipient of the message is and whether or not he or she is switched on to receive a message If not the SMSC stores the message until it can be delivered Storage time may differ from one mobile service provider to other
The diagram depicts a simplified call flow for a successful submission of a mobile originated short message[1]
5 SMS Messaging in SS7 Networks Optimizing Revenue with Modular Components
httpwwwdialogiccom~mediaproductsdocssignaling-and-ss7-componentsSMS_Messg_SS7_Net_Opt_Rev_Mod_Comppdf
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MSC ndash Mobile Switching Center SMSC ndash Short Message Service Center HLR ndash Home Location Register VLR ndash Visitor Location Register
42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls
Communication of emergency situation through SMS differs from 112 emergency voice calls from a technical point of view
- Difficulties to route to the most appropriate PSAP - Long time of call not real-time communication
- Network from a network perspective SMS messages to 112 are not defined as an emergency communication like voice calls to 112 are
o Total prioritisation of SMS not possible o Possible technical delays (eg bad weather big disasters big planned events etc) o Delivery confirmation the SMS has arrived to the device no confirmation that has been read o Positioning and location of SMS not available in most cases o ldquo112rdquo as short code not always available o SMS to 112 may not work (depending of the countries) if the phone is out of credit and
despite the fact that the SMS to 112 is free to the citizen
- Device o Working SIM card needed o Available memory of the phone needed
- Difficulties to be free of charge
43 Roaming
To send a SMS is only possible if international roaming has been activated by the user As 112 calls are treated as emergency calls they can be made even if roaming has not been activated by the customer This will not be the case for 112 SMS If a foreign mobile phone is roaming on a foreign country network an SMS to 112 they send is handled within
their own ldquohomerdquo network and the message will not get delivered to the foreign country ldquohostrdquo network Even if the foreign mobile phone is roaming (for voice) an SMS to 112 is not delivered (eg Icelandic phone in Spain sending SMS to 112 may end up in Reykjarvik) This is the reason why ldquo112rdquo code for foreign phones is not always accessible it requires the short-code 112 or an alternative number being made available
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National roaming not available If a national mobile has no coverage signal from its mobile operator 112 calls will still be made using another mobile operatorrsquos network with coverage for the callerrsquos location This is not be the case for SMS
44 Localisation
Automatic caller location is not included in the standard for SMS The citizen must normally provide this information during the SMS transaction with the first PSAP call-taker Location could be however possible via other localisations method for the device
To avoid the lack of SMS location in some countries or regions (eg in some regions of Spain) the person with communication disabilities in distress starts communication with the emergency centre making a 112 call and this way the call is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and located After this the interchanging of SMS begins In UK the SMS arrives at the PSAP with location information after a specially provided request on the LBS of the MNOrsquos using same protocol as for voice calls
Some providers give subscribers the possibility of sending an SMS from a website Of course location
information is completely impossible then The CLI (mobile number) of the subscriber is sent with the SMS so a pull query on a LBS system could be used for these situations
45 Integration in PSAP interface
SMS 112 functionality should be integrated in the PSAP network system (communication channels and principles of sendingreceiving datamessages from Mobile Operator to the PSAP technical solutiongateway) Functionality for handling SMS112 should be integrated into the PSAP case handling software and records generated as emergency voice calls 112 SMS and 112 calls should be treated equally according to queue
time
5 Procedures in emergency services
51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed)
In most countries registration is mandatory to use the 112 SMS service In the majority of them only people with disabilities are allowed to register In this section different pre-registration procedures are described
Registration by SMS The citizen can register by simply sending an SMS with the word ldquoregisterrdquo to 112 A response message is sent indicating that the userrsquos mobile phone number is now registered This message also encourages citizens to proceed to a dedicated page on the website whereby they can provide further information In the event that an SMS is received the information here can be used to assist the emergency services following a ldquolook-uprdquo by the call taker This procedure is being used in Ireland6 The Irish112 SMS system is open to all citizens
Registration by SMS and disclosure signature It is similar to the previously described procedure but a disclosure is sent to the user In some countries it recommends the user to continue to seek help in any other possible ways until the SMS is acknowledged by the PSAP After the disclosure is agreed by the citizen a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
On-line registration and agreement signature To be able to use SMS emergency service a pre registration
is needed using a Web page In some countries after registration an agreement is sent to the user for
signing In others conditions have to be read and agreed by the user in the same web site Once the procedure is completed a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use This procedure (or similar) is being used in Sweden Spain (in some PSAPs) and others
Registration of user has some disadvantages SMS users may feel that they are not treated as voice call users ie in order to make a 112 call it is not
necessary to register Furthermore people do not like to be registered as a special group in a society If the citizen changes hisher mobile phone number heshe must register this new number again
Consequently this can cause inconsistencies in the database However if the citizen switches mobile phone network provider (and retains hisher mobile phone number re-registration is not required)
Administrative work has to be done to keep the database up-to-date
6 www112ie
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9
One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
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6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
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ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
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o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
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Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
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14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
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15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
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16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
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disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
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19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
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20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
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3
Table of contents
1 Introduction 4 2 General use of SMS 4 3 Use of SMS for emergency services 5
31 Emergency SMS for people with communication disabilities 5 32 Silent emergency situations 5 33 Public Warning systems based on SMS 5 34 Strengths and opportunities of the use of SMS 5 35 Weaknesses and threats of the use of SMS 5
4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access 6 41 SMS overview 6 42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls 7 43 Roaming 7 44 Localisation 8 45 Integration in PSAP interface 8
5 Procedures in emergency services 8 51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed) 8 52 Handling an SMS call 9 53 Pre-configured messages 9
6 Recommendations 10 7 EENA Requirements 10 ANNEX I Examples of implementations 11
Estonia 11 Iceland 12 Ireland 13 Luxembourg 13 The Netherlands 13 Sweden 14 UK 16
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 112 17
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4
1 Introduction
The European emergency number 112 which is used to contact emergency services free of charge all over the EU is currently not accessible by other means than voice calls in the majority of countries It is crucial
that local citizens and foreign travelers are able to access appropriate emergency services whenever they need them and to have confidence that they will be able to do so This is even more important if we take increasing mobility of people within the EU and the growth of the European Union into account Voice communication between citizen in distress and emergency services is not always possible The Silent hang up and abandoned calls EENA Operations Document1 details circumstances where it can happen that
producing any sound to communicate to emergency services can put the person in an even worse situation Silent communication like SMS could in these cases safe lives Furthermore people with hearing and speaking disabilities are likely to face great barriers to communicate with emergency services in case of need In 2009 the revised Universal Service Directive invited Member
States to ensure that access for disabled end users to emergency services is equivalent to that enjoyed by other end users SMS cannot be considered as a full equivalent access solution but can be suitable for people
with disabilities to access emergency services The document reviews needs of non-voice communication between citizen and emergency services available SMS technology its strengths and weaknesses and implementations in European countries in order to share best practices and experiences
2 General use of SMS
More than 330 billion SMS and MMS messages are sent per year2 The growth in mobile messaging traffic was
very strong until 2010 with growth of 23 per annum from 2000 to 2009 This represents on average 54 mobile messages sent per head of population per month The vast majority of citizens send text messages as communication tool
There are significant differences in patterns of use across countries In Lithuania mobile users send an average of 173 SMS messages per month while the level in Bulgaria is only 6 SMS messages per month
Public services are also taking advantage of the use of mobile services and applications They are already helping citizens to monitor and improve their wellbeing through designated applications and services SMS alert services to remind patients about medical and dental appointments and display results are improving the efficiency of health services
Despite the remarkable growth of mobile email Web applications instant messaging social media and multimedia messaging the use of SMS remains very high Europe is a mature market segment3 for SMS services and people feel comfortable using them
1 Silent hang-up and abandoned calls EENA OD httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
2 European Mobile Industry Observatory 2011 httpwwwgsmacomdocumentsdownload-full-report-pdf-2-73-mb21097 3 ldquoOperatorsrsquo SMS Revenues Will Peak in 2003 And SMS Volumes Will Stagnate In 2004 Forrester Contendsrdquo
httpwwwforrestercomERPressRelease0176970900html
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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5
3 Use of SMS for emergency services
31 Emergency SMS for people with communication disabilities
Some countries (see Annex I and II) have decided to open SMS access to emergency services only to people
with communication disabilities To be able to employ this service users may have to be pre-registered in the PSAP database and this way be identified by the emergency services operator when their call or SMS arrives to the emergency call centre The procedure to register is normally to fill a form (sometimes on-line) Name and phone number of the person with communication disabilities is then recorded If a citizen with communications disabilities needs help from emergency services (s)he sends an SMS This
SMS is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and in most cases a chat between the emergency services operator and the person in distress takes place
32 Silent emergency situations
In the majority of emergency circumstances a voice call will be adequate to warn emergency services It is the more direct and interactive way of communication However there are cases where to produce any noise can put the person in distress in an even more dangerous situation Kidnapping eyewitnesses reporting are examples of these kind of situations (see Emergency Silent Hang-Up and Abandoned 112 Calls EENA
Operations Document)
33 Public Warning systems based on SMS
Another use of SMS technology is the public warning See Public Warning EENA Operations Committee4
34 Strengths and opportunities of the use of SMS
As described in section 2 of this document SMS is a very common way of communication One of the most important advantages is that citizens have no need to use a different device they can just contact emergency
services with their mobile phones No special software or hardware is needed In wilderness areas where the signal strength may be weak make a voice call to 112 might not be possible
but sending an SMS to 112 could still work
35 Weaknesses and threats of the use of SMS
Voice communication when possible should be the primary way of interaction between the person in need of help and the call-taker Communication with text messages is slower and abrupt and call-taker is not able to make conclusions from breathing voices etc When assessing the situation becomes harder because of the lack of background noises there is a higher risk of needless dispatching 112 SMS is an economic issue for PSAPs as well As described in the annexes of this document call-taker involvement time in average in handling a 112 SMS has been even 7-8 times longer than handling a 112 call
In a worst case scenario PSAPs would need much more resources to keep up the present service level Furthermore 112 SMS must no become a shortcut to the emergency services and all different types of contacts to 112 should be treated equally and in the same queue
Malicious action towards emergency services is already a big problem in almost every country so 112 SMS service should not increase this problem Pre-registration could minimize this risk as persons willing to use the
service could be forced to go through the terms of use and a learning package Limiting the service for only persons with disabilities minimizes the risks even more 112 SMS handling process in overflow situations must also be solved
4 httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
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4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access
41 SMS overview
Any mobile subscriber with a phone and a service that support SMS can send or receive SMS messages In this section SMS services main characteristics are described5 Length and type Each message can contain up to 160 alphanumeric characters Some non-text-based
formats such as binary are also supported for specialized uses such as ringtones and images
Storage and forwarding Messages can be stored and forwarded because they are not sent directly from sender to receiver but pass through an SMS message center
Confirmation Information about message delivery is always received whether the message is delivered
or not
Simultaneous traffic Because the mechanism for transmitting SMS messages is separated from the
voice path of any particular call short messages can be sent and received at the same time as voice data and fax calls For this reason SMS users usually do not receive busy signals
Increased length mdash Methods for concatenating several short messages and compressing messages are
defined and incorporated in the standard
When an SMS message is sent from an SMS-capable cell phone the message is handled no differently than a normal call setup it moves from the cell phone to a base station to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
From the mobile switching center the SMS message moves inside the SS7 network to the Short Messaging Service Center (SMSC) a standard part of the network The SMSC queries the Home Location Register (HLR) to find out where the recipient of the message is and whether or not he or she is switched on to receive a message If not the SMSC stores the message until it can be delivered Storage time may differ from one mobile service provider to other
The diagram depicts a simplified call flow for a successful submission of a mobile originated short message[1]
5 SMS Messaging in SS7 Networks Optimizing Revenue with Modular Components
httpwwwdialogiccom~mediaproductsdocssignaling-and-ss7-componentsSMS_Messg_SS7_Net_Opt_Rev_Mod_Comppdf
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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7
MSC ndash Mobile Switching Center SMSC ndash Short Message Service Center HLR ndash Home Location Register VLR ndash Visitor Location Register
42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls
Communication of emergency situation through SMS differs from 112 emergency voice calls from a technical point of view
- Difficulties to route to the most appropriate PSAP - Long time of call not real-time communication
- Network from a network perspective SMS messages to 112 are not defined as an emergency communication like voice calls to 112 are
o Total prioritisation of SMS not possible o Possible technical delays (eg bad weather big disasters big planned events etc) o Delivery confirmation the SMS has arrived to the device no confirmation that has been read o Positioning and location of SMS not available in most cases o ldquo112rdquo as short code not always available o SMS to 112 may not work (depending of the countries) if the phone is out of credit and
despite the fact that the SMS to 112 is free to the citizen
- Device o Working SIM card needed o Available memory of the phone needed
- Difficulties to be free of charge
43 Roaming
To send a SMS is only possible if international roaming has been activated by the user As 112 calls are treated as emergency calls they can be made even if roaming has not been activated by the customer This will not be the case for 112 SMS If a foreign mobile phone is roaming on a foreign country network an SMS to 112 they send is handled within
their own ldquohomerdquo network and the message will not get delivered to the foreign country ldquohostrdquo network Even if the foreign mobile phone is roaming (for voice) an SMS to 112 is not delivered (eg Icelandic phone in Spain sending SMS to 112 may end up in Reykjarvik) This is the reason why ldquo112rdquo code for foreign phones is not always accessible it requires the short-code 112 or an alternative number being made available
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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8
National roaming not available If a national mobile has no coverage signal from its mobile operator 112 calls will still be made using another mobile operatorrsquos network with coverage for the callerrsquos location This is not be the case for SMS
44 Localisation
Automatic caller location is not included in the standard for SMS The citizen must normally provide this information during the SMS transaction with the first PSAP call-taker Location could be however possible via other localisations method for the device
To avoid the lack of SMS location in some countries or regions (eg in some regions of Spain) the person with communication disabilities in distress starts communication with the emergency centre making a 112 call and this way the call is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and located After this the interchanging of SMS begins In UK the SMS arrives at the PSAP with location information after a specially provided request on the LBS of the MNOrsquos using same protocol as for voice calls
Some providers give subscribers the possibility of sending an SMS from a website Of course location
information is completely impossible then The CLI (mobile number) of the subscriber is sent with the SMS so a pull query on a LBS system could be used for these situations
45 Integration in PSAP interface
SMS 112 functionality should be integrated in the PSAP network system (communication channels and principles of sendingreceiving datamessages from Mobile Operator to the PSAP technical solutiongateway) Functionality for handling SMS112 should be integrated into the PSAP case handling software and records generated as emergency voice calls 112 SMS and 112 calls should be treated equally according to queue
time
5 Procedures in emergency services
51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed)
In most countries registration is mandatory to use the 112 SMS service In the majority of them only people with disabilities are allowed to register In this section different pre-registration procedures are described
Registration by SMS The citizen can register by simply sending an SMS with the word ldquoregisterrdquo to 112 A response message is sent indicating that the userrsquos mobile phone number is now registered This message also encourages citizens to proceed to a dedicated page on the website whereby they can provide further information In the event that an SMS is received the information here can be used to assist the emergency services following a ldquolook-uprdquo by the call taker This procedure is being used in Ireland6 The Irish112 SMS system is open to all citizens
Registration by SMS and disclosure signature It is similar to the previously described procedure but a disclosure is sent to the user In some countries it recommends the user to continue to seek help in any other possible ways until the SMS is acknowledged by the PSAP After the disclosure is agreed by the citizen a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
On-line registration and agreement signature To be able to use SMS emergency service a pre registration
is needed using a Web page In some countries after registration an agreement is sent to the user for
signing In others conditions have to be read and agreed by the user in the same web site Once the procedure is completed a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use This procedure (or similar) is being used in Sweden Spain (in some PSAPs) and others
Registration of user has some disadvantages SMS users may feel that they are not treated as voice call users ie in order to make a 112 call it is not
necessary to register Furthermore people do not like to be registered as a special group in a society If the citizen changes hisher mobile phone number heshe must register this new number again
Consequently this can cause inconsistencies in the database However if the citizen switches mobile phone network provider (and retains hisher mobile phone number re-registration is not required)
Administrative work has to be done to keep the database up-to-date
6 www112ie
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EENA asbl
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9
One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
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10
6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
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11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
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12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
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o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
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- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
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16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
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ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
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disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
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19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
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20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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4
1 Introduction
The European emergency number 112 which is used to contact emergency services free of charge all over the EU is currently not accessible by other means than voice calls in the majority of countries It is crucial
that local citizens and foreign travelers are able to access appropriate emergency services whenever they need them and to have confidence that they will be able to do so This is even more important if we take increasing mobility of people within the EU and the growth of the European Union into account Voice communication between citizen in distress and emergency services is not always possible The Silent hang up and abandoned calls EENA Operations Document1 details circumstances where it can happen that
producing any sound to communicate to emergency services can put the person in an even worse situation Silent communication like SMS could in these cases safe lives Furthermore people with hearing and speaking disabilities are likely to face great barriers to communicate with emergency services in case of need In 2009 the revised Universal Service Directive invited Member
States to ensure that access for disabled end users to emergency services is equivalent to that enjoyed by other end users SMS cannot be considered as a full equivalent access solution but can be suitable for people
with disabilities to access emergency services The document reviews needs of non-voice communication between citizen and emergency services available SMS technology its strengths and weaknesses and implementations in European countries in order to share best practices and experiences
2 General use of SMS
More than 330 billion SMS and MMS messages are sent per year2 The growth in mobile messaging traffic was
very strong until 2010 with growth of 23 per annum from 2000 to 2009 This represents on average 54 mobile messages sent per head of population per month The vast majority of citizens send text messages as communication tool
There are significant differences in patterns of use across countries In Lithuania mobile users send an average of 173 SMS messages per month while the level in Bulgaria is only 6 SMS messages per month
Public services are also taking advantage of the use of mobile services and applications They are already helping citizens to monitor and improve their wellbeing through designated applications and services SMS alert services to remind patients about medical and dental appointments and display results are improving the efficiency of health services
Despite the remarkable growth of mobile email Web applications instant messaging social media and multimedia messaging the use of SMS remains very high Europe is a mature market segment3 for SMS services and people feel comfortable using them
1 Silent hang-up and abandoned calls EENA OD httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
2 European Mobile Industry Observatory 2011 httpwwwgsmacomdocumentsdownload-full-report-pdf-2-73-mb21097 3 ldquoOperatorsrsquo SMS Revenues Will Peak in 2003 And SMS Volumes Will Stagnate In 2004 Forrester Contendsrdquo
httpwwwforrestercomERPressRelease0176970900html
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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5
3 Use of SMS for emergency services
31 Emergency SMS for people with communication disabilities
Some countries (see Annex I and II) have decided to open SMS access to emergency services only to people
with communication disabilities To be able to employ this service users may have to be pre-registered in the PSAP database and this way be identified by the emergency services operator when their call or SMS arrives to the emergency call centre The procedure to register is normally to fill a form (sometimes on-line) Name and phone number of the person with communication disabilities is then recorded If a citizen with communications disabilities needs help from emergency services (s)he sends an SMS This
SMS is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and in most cases a chat between the emergency services operator and the person in distress takes place
32 Silent emergency situations
In the majority of emergency circumstances a voice call will be adequate to warn emergency services It is the more direct and interactive way of communication However there are cases where to produce any noise can put the person in distress in an even more dangerous situation Kidnapping eyewitnesses reporting are examples of these kind of situations (see Emergency Silent Hang-Up and Abandoned 112 Calls EENA
Operations Document)
33 Public Warning systems based on SMS
Another use of SMS technology is the public warning See Public Warning EENA Operations Committee4
34 Strengths and opportunities of the use of SMS
As described in section 2 of this document SMS is a very common way of communication One of the most important advantages is that citizens have no need to use a different device they can just contact emergency
services with their mobile phones No special software or hardware is needed In wilderness areas where the signal strength may be weak make a voice call to 112 might not be possible
but sending an SMS to 112 could still work
35 Weaknesses and threats of the use of SMS
Voice communication when possible should be the primary way of interaction between the person in need of help and the call-taker Communication with text messages is slower and abrupt and call-taker is not able to make conclusions from breathing voices etc When assessing the situation becomes harder because of the lack of background noises there is a higher risk of needless dispatching 112 SMS is an economic issue for PSAPs as well As described in the annexes of this document call-taker involvement time in average in handling a 112 SMS has been even 7-8 times longer than handling a 112 call
In a worst case scenario PSAPs would need much more resources to keep up the present service level Furthermore 112 SMS must no become a shortcut to the emergency services and all different types of contacts to 112 should be treated equally and in the same queue
Malicious action towards emergency services is already a big problem in almost every country so 112 SMS service should not increase this problem Pre-registration could minimize this risk as persons willing to use the
service could be forced to go through the terms of use and a learning package Limiting the service for only persons with disabilities minimizes the risks even more 112 SMS handling process in overflow situations must also be solved
4 httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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6
4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access
41 SMS overview
Any mobile subscriber with a phone and a service that support SMS can send or receive SMS messages In this section SMS services main characteristics are described5 Length and type Each message can contain up to 160 alphanumeric characters Some non-text-based
formats such as binary are also supported for specialized uses such as ringtones and images
Storage and forwarding Messages can be stored and forwarded because they are not sent directly from sender to receiver but pass through an SMS message center
Confirmation Information about message delivery is always received whether the message is delivered
or not
Simultaneous traffic Because the mechanism for transmitting SMS messages is separated from the
voice path of any particular call short messages can be sent and received at the same time as voice data and fax calls For this reason SMS users usually do not receive busy signals
Increased length mdash Methods for concatenating several short messages and compressing messages are
defined and incorporated in the standard
When an SMS message is sent from an SMS-capable cell phone the message is handled no differently than a normal call setup it moves from the cell phone to a base station to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
From the mobile switching center the SMS message moves inside the SS7 network to the Short Messaging Service Center (SMSC) a standard part of the network The SMSC queries the Home Location Register (HLR) to find out where the recipient of the message is and whether or not he or she is switched on to receive a message If not the SMSC stores the message until it can be delivered Storage time may differ from one mobile service provider to other
The diagram depicts a simplified call flow for a successful submission of a mobile originated short message[1]
5 SMS Messaging in SS7 Networks Optimizing Revenue with Modular Components
httpwwwdialogiccom~mediaproductsdocssignaling-and-ss7-componentsSMS_Messg_SS7_Net_Opt_Rev_Mod_Comppdf
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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7
MSC ndash Mobile Switching Center SMSC ndash Short Message Service Center HLR ndash Home Location Register VLR ndash Visitor Location Register
42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls
Communication of emergency situation through SMS differs from 112 emergency voice calls from a technical point of view
- Difficulties to route to the most appropriate PSAP - Long time of call not real-time communication
- Network from a network perspective SMS messages to 112 are not defined as an emergency communication like voice calls to 112 are
o Total prioritisation of SMS not possible o Possible technical delays (eg bad weather big disasters big planned events etc) o Delivery confirmation the SMS has arrived to the device no confirmation that has been read o Positioning and location of SMS not available in most cases o ldquo112rdquo as short code not always available o SMS to 112 may not work (depending of the countries) if the phone is out of credit and
despite the fact that the SMS to 112 is free to the citizen
- Device o Working SIM card needed o Available memory of the phone needed
- Difficulties to be free of charge
43 Roaming
To send a SMS is only possible if international roaming has been activated by the user As 112 calls are treated as emergency calls they can be made even if roaming has not been activated by the customer This will not be the case for 112 SMS If a foreign mobile phone is roaming on a foreign country network an SMS to 112 they send is handled within
their own ldquohomerdquo network and the message will not get delivered to the foreign country ldquohostrdquo network Even if the foreign mobile phone is roaming (for voice) an SMS to 112 is not delivered (eg Icelandic phone in Spain sending SMS to 112 may end up in Reykjarvik) This is the reason why ldquo112rdquo code for foreign phones is not always accessible it requires the short-code 112 or an alternative number being made available
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8
National roaming not available If a national mobile has no coverage signal from its mobile operator 112 calls will still be made using another mobile operatorrsquos network with coverage for the callerrsquos location This is not be the case for SMS
44 Localisation
Automatic caller location is not included in the standard for SMS The citizen must normally provide this information during the SMS transaction with the first PSAP call-taker Location could be however possible via other localisations method for the device
To avoid the lack of SMS location in some countries or regions (eg in some regions of Spain) the person with communication disabilities in distress starts communication with the emergency centre making a 112 call and this way the call is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and located After this the interchanging of SMS begins In UK the SMS arrives at the PSAP with location information after a specially provided request on the LBS of the MNOrsquos using same protocol as for voice calls
Some providers give subscribers the possibility of sending an SMS from a website Of course location
information is completely impossible then The CLI (mobile number) of the subscriber is sent with the SMS so a pull query on a LBS system could be used for these situations
45 Integration in PSAP interface
SMS 112 functionality should be integrated in the PSAP network system (communication channels and principles of sendingreceiving datamessages from Mobile Operator to the PSAP technical solutiongateway) Functionality for handling SMS112 should be integrated into the PSAP case handling software and records generated as emergency voice calls 112 SMS and 112 calls should be treated equally according to queue
time
5 Procedures in emergency services
51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed)
In most countries registration is mandatory to use the 112 SMS service In the majority of them only people with disabilities are allowed to register In this section different pre-registration procedures are described
Registration by SMS The citizen can register by simply sending an SMS with the word ldquoregisterrdquo to 112 A response message is sent indicating that the userrsquos mobile phone number is now registered This message also encourages citizens to proceed to a dedicated page on the website whereby they can provide further information In the event that an SMS is received the information here can be used to assist the emergency services following a ldquolook-uprdquo by the call taker This procedure is being used in Ireland6 The Irish112 SMS system is open to all citizens
Registration by SMS and disclosure signature It is similar to the previously described procedure but a disclosure is sent to the user In some countries it recommends the user to continue to seek help in any other possible ways until the SMS is acknowledged by the PSAP After the disclosure is agreed by the citizen a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
On-line registration and agreement signature To be able to use SMS emergency service a pre registration
is needed using a Web page In some countries after registration an agreement is sent to the user for
signing In others conditions have to be read and agreed by the user in the same web site Once the procedure is completed a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use This procedure (or similar) is being used in Sweden Spain (in some PSAPs) and others
Registration of user has some disadvantages SMS users may feel that they are not treated as voice call users ie in order to make a 112 call it is not
necessary to register Furthermore people do not like to be registered as a special group in a society If the citizen changes hisher mobile phone number heshe must register this new number again
Consequently this can cause inconsistencies in the database However if the citizen switches mobile phone network provider (and retains hisher mobile phone number re-registration is not required)
Administrative work has to be done to keep the database up-to-date
6 www112ie
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9
One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
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10
6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
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12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
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13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
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o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
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- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
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16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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5
3 Use of SMS for emergency services
31 Emergency SMS for people with communication disabilities
Some countries (see Annex I and II) have decided to open SMS access to emergency services only to people
with communication disabilities To be able to employ this service users may have to be pre-registered in the PSAP database and this way be identified by the emergency services operator when their call or SMS arrives to the emergency call centre The procedure to register is normally to fill a form (sometimes on-line) Name and phone number of the person with communication disabilities is then recorded If a citizen with communications disabilities needs help from emergency services (s)he sends an SMS This
SMS is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and in most cases a chat between the emergency services operator and the person in distress takes place
32 Silent emergency situations
In the majority of emergency circumstances a voice call will be adequate to warn emergency services It is the more direct and interactive way of communication However there are cases where to produce any noise can put the person in distress in an even more dangerous situation Kidnapping eyewitnesses reporting are examples of these kind of situations (see Emergency Silent Hang-Up and Abandoned 112 Calls EENA
Operations Document)
33 Public Warning systems based on SMS
Another use of SMS technology is the public warning See Public Warning EENA Operations Committee4
34 Strengths and opportunities of the use of SMS
As described in section 2 of this document SMS is a very common way of communication One of the most important advantages is that citizens have no need to use a different device they can just contact emergency
services with their mobile phones No special software or hardware is needed In wilderness areas where the signal strength may be weak make a voice call to 112 might not be possible
but sending an SMS to 112 could still work
35 Weaknesses and threats of the use of SMS
Voice communication when possible should be the primary way of interaction between the person in need of help and the call-taker Communication with text messages is slower and abrupt and call-taker is not able to make conclusions from breathing voices etc When assessing the situation becomes harder because of the lack of background noises there is a higher risk of needless dispatching 112 SMS is an economic issue for PSAPs as well As described in the annexes of this document call-taker involvement time in average in handling a 112 SMS has been even 7-8 times longer than handling a 112 call
In a worst case scenario PSAPs would need much more resources to keep up the present service level Furthermore 112 SMS must no become a shortcut to the emergency services and all different types of contacts to 112 should be treated equally and in the same queue
Malicious action towards emergency services is already a big problem in almost every country so 112 SMS service should not increase this problem Pre-registration could minimize this risk as persons willing to use the
service could be forced to go through the terms of use and a learning package Limiting the service for only persons with disabilities minimizes the risks even more 112 SMS handling process in overflow situations must also be solved
4 httpwwweenaorgviewenCommittees112operationsindexpsapshtml
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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6
4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access
41 SMS overview
Any mobile subscriber with a phone and a service that support SMS can send or receive SMS messages In this section SMS services main characteristics are described5 Length and type Each message can contain up to 160 alphanumeric characters Some non-text-based
formats such as binary are also supported for specialized uses such as ringtones and images
Storage and forwarding Messages can be stored and forwarded because they are not sent directly from sender to receiver but pass through an SMS message center
Confirmation Information about message delivery is always received whether the message is delivered
or not
Simultaneous traffic Because the mechanism for transmitting SMS messages is separated from the
voice path of any particular call short messages can be sent and received at the same time as voice data and fax calls For this reason SMS users usually do not receive busy signals
Increased length mdash Methods for concatenating several short messages and compressing messages are
defined and incorporated in the standard
When an SMS message is sent from an SMS-capable cell phone the message is handled no differently than a normal call setup it moves from the cell phone to a base station to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
From the mobile switching center the SMS message moves inside the SS7 network to the Short Messaging Service Center (SMSC) a standard part of the network The SMSC queries the Home Location Register (HLR) to find out where the recipient of the message is and whether or not he or she is switched on to receive a message If not the SMSC stores the message until it can be delivered Storage time may differ from one mobile service provider to other
The diagram depicts a simplified call flow for a successful submission of a mobile originated short message[1]
5 SMS Messaging in SS7 Networks Optimizing Revenue with Modular Components
httpwwwdialogiccom~mediaproductsdocssignaling-and-ss7-componentsSMS_Messg_SS7_Net_Opt_Rev_Mod_Comppdf
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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7
MSC ndash Mobile Switching Center SMSC ndash Short Message Service Center HLR ndash Home Location Register VLR ndash Visitor Location Register
42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls
Communication of emergency situation through SMS differs from 112 emergency voice calls from a technical point of view
- Difficulties to route to the most appropriate PSAP - Long time of call not real-time communication
- Network from a network perspective SMS messages to 112 are not defined as an emergency communication like voice calls to 112 are
o Total prioritisation of SMS not possible o Possible technical delays (eg bad weather big disasters big planned events etc) o Delivery confirmation the SMS has arrived to the device no confirmation that has been read o Positioning and location of SMS not available in most cases o ldquo112rdquo as short code not always available o SMS to 112 may not work (depending of the countries) if the phone is out of credit and
despite the fact that the SMS to 112 is free to the citizen
- Device o Working SIM card needed o Available memory of the phone needed
- Difficulties to be free of charge
43 Roaming
To send a SMS is only possible if international roaming has been activated by the user As 112 calls are treated as emergency calls they can be made even if roaming has not been activated by the customer This will not be the case for 112 SMS If a foreign mobile phone is roaming on a foreign country network an SMS to 112 they send is handled within
their own ldquohomerdquo network and the message will not get delivered to the foreign country ldquohostrdquo network Even if the foreign mobile phone is roaming (for voice) an SMS to 112 is not delivered (eg Icelandic phone in Spain sending SMS to 112 may end up in Reykjarvik) This is the reason why ldquo112rdquo code for foreign phones is not always accessible it requires the short-code 112 or an alternative number being made available
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8
National roaming not available If a national mobile has no coverage signal from its mobile operator 112 calls will still be made using another mobile operatorrsquos network with coverage for the callerrsquos location This is not be the case for SMS
44 Localisation
Automatic caller location is not included in the standard for SMS The citizen must normally provide this information during the SMS transaction with the first PSAP call-taker Location could be however possible via other localisations method for the device
To avoid the lack of SMS location in some countries or regions (eg in some regions of Spain) the person with communication disabilities in distress starts communication with the emergency centre making a 112 call and this way the call is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and located After this the interchanging of SMS begins In UK the SMS arrives at the PSAP with location information after a specially provided request on the LBS of the MNOrsquos using same protocol as for voice calls
Some providers give subscribers the possibility of sending an SMS from a website Of course location
information is completely impossible then The CLI (mobile number) of the subscriber is sent with the SMS so a pull query on a LBS system could be used for these situations
45 Integration in PSAP interface
SMS 112 functionality should be integrated in the PSAP network system (communication channels and principles of sendingreceiving datamessages from Mobile Operator to the PSAP technical solutiongateway) Functionality for handling SMS112 should be integrated into the PSAP case handling software and records generated as emergency voice calls 112 SMS and 112 calls should be treated equally according to queue
time
5 Procedures in emergency services
51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed)
In most countries registration is mandatory to use the 112 SMS service In the majority of them only people with disabilities are allowed to register In this section different pre-registration procedures are described
Registration by SMS The citizen can register by simply sending an SMS with the word ldquoregisterrdquo to 112 A response message is sent indicating that the userrsquos mobile phone number is now registered This message also encourages citizens to proceed to a dedicated page on the website whereby they can provide further information In the event that an SMS is received the information here can be used to assist the emergency services following a ldquolook-uprdquo by the call taker This procedure is being used in Ireland6 The Irish112 SMS system is open to all citizens
Registration by SMS and disclosure signature It is similar to the previously described procedure but a disclosure is sent to the user In some countries it recommends the user to continue to seek help in any other possible ways until the SMS is acknowledged by the PSAP After the disclosure is agreed by the citizen a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
On-line registration and agreement signature To be able to use SMS emergency service a pre registration
is needed using a Web page In some countries after registration an agreement is sent to the user for
signing In others conditions have to be read and agreed by the user in the same web site Once the procedure is completed a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use This procedure (or similar) is being used in Sweden Spain (in some PSAPs) and others
Registration of user has some disadvantages SMS users may feel that they are not treated as voice call users ie in order to make a 112 call it is not
necessary to register Furthermore people do not like to be registered as a special group in a society If the citizen changes hisher mobile phone number heshe must register this new number again
Consequently this can cause inconsistencies in the database However if the citizen switches mobile phone network provider (and retains hisher mobile phone number re-registration is not required)
Administrative work has to be done to keep the database up-to-date
6 www112ie
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9
One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
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6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
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11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
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12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
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Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
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o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
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- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
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16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
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17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
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18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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6
4 Implementing SMS channel for emergency services access
41 SMS overview
Any mobile subscriber with a phone and a service that support SMS can send or receive SMS messages In this section SMS services main characteristics are described5 Length and type Each message can contain up to 160 alphanumeric characters Some non-text-based
formats such as binary are also supported for specialized uses such as ringtones and images
Storage and forwarding Messages can be stored and forwarded because they are not sent directly from sender to receiver but pass through an SMS message center
Confirmation Information about message delivery is always received whether the message is delivered
or not
Simultaneous traffic Because the mechanism for transmitting SMS messages is separated from the
voice path of any particular call short messages can be sent and received at the same time as voice data and fax calls For this reason SMS users usually do not receive busy signals
Increased length mdash Methods for concatenating several short messages and compressing messages are
defined and incorporated in the standard
When an SMS message is sent from an SMS-capable cell phone the message is handled no differently than a normal call setup it moves from the cell phone to a base station to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
From the mobile switching center the SMS message moves inside the SS7 network to the Short Messaging Service Center (SMSC) a standard part of the network The SMSC queries the Home Location Register (HLR) to find out where the recipient of the message is and whether or not he or she is switched on to receive a message If not the SMSC stores the message until it can be delivered Storage time may differ from one mobile service provider to other
The diagram depicts a simplified call flow for a successful submission of a mobile originated short message[1]
5 SMS Messaging in SS7 Networks Optimizing Revenue with Modular Components
httpwwwdialogiccom~mediaproductsdocssignaling-and-ss7-componentsSMS_Messg_SS7_Net_Opt_Rev_Mod_Comppdf
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7
MSC ndash Mobile Switching Center SMSC ndash Short Message Service Center HLR ndash Home Location Register VLR ndash Visitor Location Register
42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls
Communication of emergency situation through SMS differs from 112 emergency voice calls from a technical point of view
- Difficulties to route to the most appropriate PSAP - Long time of call not real-time communication
- Network from a network perspective SMS messages to 112 are not defined as an emergency communication like voice calls to 112 are
o Total prioritisation of SMS not possible o Possible technical delays (eg bad weather big disasters big planned events etc) o Delivery confirmation the SMS has arrived to the device no confirmation that has been read o Positioning and location of SMS not available in most cases o ldquo112rdquo as short code not always available o SMS to 112 may not work (depending of the countries) if the phone is out of credit and
despite the fact that the SMS to 112 is free to the citizen
- Device o Working SIM card needed o Available memory of the phone needed
- Difficulties to be free of charge
43 Roaming
To send a SMS is only possible if international roaming has been activated by the user As 112 calls are treated as emergency calls they can be made even if roaming has not been activated by the customer This will not be the case for 112 SMS If a foreign mobile phone is roaming on a foreign country network an SMS to 112 they send is handled within
their own ldquohomerdquo network and the message will not get delivered to the foreign country ldquohostrdquo network Even if the foreign mobile phone is roaming (for voice) an SMS to 112 is not delivered (eg Icelandic phone in Spain sending SMS to 112 may end up in Reykjarvik) This is the reason why ldquo112rdquo code for foreign phones is not always accessible it requires the short-code 112 or an alternative number being made available
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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8
National roaming not available If a national mobile has no coverage signal from its mobile operator 112 calls will still be made using another mobile operatorrsquos network with coverage for the callerrsquos location This is not be the case for SMS
44 Localisation
Automatic caller location is not included in the standard for SMS The citizen must normally provide this information during the SMS transaction with the first PSAP call-taker Location could be however possible via other localisations method for the device
To avoid the lack of SMS location in some countries or regions (eg in some regions of Spain) the person with communication disabilities in distress starts communication with the emergency centre making a 112 call and this way the call is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and located After this the interchanging of SMS begins In UK the SMS arrives at the PSAP with location information after a specially provided request on the LBS of the MNOrsquos using same protocol as for voice calls
Some providers give subscribers the possibility of sending an SMS from a website Of course location
information is completely impossible then The CLI (mobile number) of the subscriber is sent with the SMS so a pull query on a LBS system could be used for these situations
45 Integration in PSAP interface
SMS 112 functionality should be integrated in the PSAP network system (communication channels and principles of sendingreceiving datamessages from Mobile Operator to the PSAP technical solutiongateway) Functionality for handling SMS112 should be integrated into the PSAP case handling software and records generated as emergency voice calls 112 SMS and 112 calls should be treated equally according to queue
time
5 Procedures in emergency services
51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed)
In most countries registration is mandatory to use the 112 SMS service In the majority of them only people with disabilities are allowed to register In this section different pre-registration procedures are described
Registration by SMS The citizen can register by simply sending an SMS with the word ldquoregisterrdquo to 112 A response message is sent indicating that the userrsquos mobile phone number is now registered This message also encourages citizens to proceed to a dedicated page on the website whereby they can provide further information In the event that an SMS is received the information here can be used to assist the emergency services following a ldquolook-uprdquo by the call taker This procedure is being used in Ireland6 The Irish112 SMS system is open to all citizens
Registration by SMS and disclosure signature It is similar to the previously described procedure but a disclosure is sent to the user In some countries it recommends the user to continue to seek help in any other possible ways until the SMS is acknowledged by the PSAP After the disclosure is agreed by the citizen a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
On-line registration and agreement signature To be able to use SMS emergency service a pre registration
is needed using a Web page In some countries after registration an agreement is sent to the user for
signing In others conditions have to be read and agreed by the user in the same web site Once the procedure is completed a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use This procedure (or similar) is being used in Sweden Spain (in some PSAPs) and others
Registration of user has some disadvantages SMS users may feel that they are not treated as voice call users ie in order to make a 112 call it is not
necessary to register Furthermore people do not like to be registered as a special group in a society If the citizen changes hisher mobile phone number heshe must register this new number again
Consequently this can cause inconsistencies in the database However if the citizen switches mobile phone network provider (and retains hisher mobile phone number re-registration is not required)
Administrative work has to be done to keep the database up-to-date
6 www112ie
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
9
One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
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10
6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
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12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
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13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
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14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
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15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
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17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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7
MSC ndash Mobile Switching Center SMSC ndash Short Message Service Center HLR ndash Home Location Register VLR ndash Visitor Location Register
42 Technical differences between SMS and 112 emergency voice calls
Communication of emergency situation through SMS differs from 112 emergency voice calls from a technical point of view
- Difficulties to route to the most appropriate PSAP - Long time of call not real-time communication
- Network from a network perspective SMS messages to 112 are not defined as an emergency communication like voice calls to 112 are
o Total prioritisation of SMS not possible o Possible technical delays (eg bad weather big disasters big planned events etc) o Delivery confirmation the SMS has arrived to the device no confirmation that has been read o Positioning and location of SMS not available in most cases o ldquo112rdquo as short code not always available o SMS to 112 may not work (depending of the countries) if the phone is out of credit and
despite the fact that the SMS to 112 is free to the citizen
- Device o Working SIM card needed o Available memory of the phone needed
- Difficulties to be free of charge
43 Roaming
To send a SMS is only possible if international roaming has been activated by the user As 112 calls are treated as emergency calls they can be made even if roaming has not been activated by the customer This will not be the case for 112 SMS If a foreign mobile phone is roaming on a foreign country network an SMS to 112 they send is handled within
their own ldquohomerdquo network and the message will not get delivered to the foreign country ldquohostrdquo network Even if the foreign mobile phone is roaming (for voice) an SMS to 112 is not delivered (eg Icelandic phone in Spain sending SMS to 112 may end up in Reykjarvik) This is the reason why ldquo112rdquo code for foreign phones is not always accessible it requires the short-code 112 or an alternative number being made available
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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8
National roaming not available If a national mobile has no coverage signal from its mobile operator 112 calls will still be made using another mobile operatorrsquos network with coverage for the callerrsquos location This is not be the case for SMS
44 Localisation
Automatic caller location is not included in the standard for SMS The citizen must normally provide this information during the SMS transaction with the first PSAP call-taker Location could be however possible via other localisations method for the device
To avoid the lack of SMS location in some countries or regions (eg in some regions of Spain) the person with communication disabilities in distress starts communication with the emergency centre making a 112 call and this way the call is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and located After this the interchanging of SMS begins In UK the SMS arrives at the PSAP with location information after a specially provided request on the LBS of the MNOrsquos using same protocol as for voice calls
Some providers give subscribers the possibility of sending an SMS from a website Of course location
information is completely impossible then The CLI (mobile number) of the subscriber is sent with the SMS so a pull query on a LBS system could be used for these situations
45 Integration in PSAP interface
SMS 112 functionality should be integrated in the PSAP network system (communication channels and principles of sendingreceiving datamessages from Mobile Operator to the PSAP technical solutiongateway) Functionality for handling SMS112 should be integrated into the PSAP case handling software and records generated as emergency voice calls 112 SMS and 112 calls should be treated equally according to queue
time
5 Procedures in emergency services
51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed)
In most countries registration is mandatory to use the 112 SMS service In the majority of them only people with disabilities are allowed to register In this section different pre-registration procedures are described
Registration by SMS The citizen can register by simply sending an SMS with the word ldquoregisterrdquo to 112 A response message is sent indicating that the userrsquos mobile phone number is now registered This message also encourages citizens to proceed to a dedicated page on the website whereby they can provide further information In the event that an SMS is received the information here can be used to assist the emergency services following a ldquolook-uprdquo by the call taker This procedure is being used in Ireland6 The Irish112 SMS system is open to all citizens
Registration by SMS and disclosure signature It is similar to the previously described procedure but a disclosure is sent to the user In some countries it recommends the user to continue to seek help in any other possible ways until the SMS is acknowledged by the PSAP After the disclosure is agreed by the citizen a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
On-line registration and agreement signature To be able to use SMS emergency service a pre registration
is needed using a Web page In some countries after registration an agreement is sent to the user for
signing In others conditions have to be read and agreed by the user in the same web site Once the procedure is completed a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use This procedure (or similar) is being used in Sweden Spain (in some PSAPs) and others
Registration of user has some disadvantages SMS users may feel that they are not treated as voice call users ie in order to make a 112 call it is not
necessary to register Furthermore people do not like to be registered as a special group in a society If the citizen changes hisher mobile phone number heshe must register this new number again
Consequently this can cause inconsistencies in the database However if the citizen switches mobile phone network provider (and retains hisher mobile phone number re-registration is not required)
Administrative work has to be done to keep the database up-to-date
6 www112ie
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
9
One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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10
6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
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14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
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20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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8
National roaming not available If a national mobile has no coverage signal from its mobile operator 112 calls will still be made using another mobile operatorrsquos network with coverage for the callerrsquos location This is not be the case for SMS
44 Localisation
Automatic caller location is not included in the standard for SMS The citizen must normally provide this information during the SMS transaction with the first PSAP call-taker Location could be however possible via other localisations method for the device
To avoid the lack of SMS location in some countries or regions (eg in some regions of Spain) the person with communication disabilities in distress starts communication with the emergency centre making a 112 call and this way the call is routed to the most appropriate PSAP and located After this the interchanging of SMS begins In UK the SMS arrives at the PSAP with location information after a specially provided request on the LBS of the MNOrsquos using same protocol as for voice calls
Some providers give subscribers the possibility of sending an SMS from a website Of course location
information is completely impossible then The CLI (mobile number) of the subscriber is sent with the SMS so a pull query on a LBS system could be used for these situations
45 Integration in PSAP interface
SMS 112 functionality should be integrated in the PSAP network system (communication channels and principles of sendingreceiving datamessages from Mobile Operator to the PSAP technical solutiongateway) Functionality for handling SMS112 should be integrated into the PSAP case handling software and records generated as emergency voice calls 112 SMS and 112 calls should be treated equally according to queue
time
5 Procedures in emergency services
51 Procedure of pre-registration (if needed)
In most countries registration is mandatory to use the 112 SMS service In the majority of them only people with disabilities are allowed to register In this section different pre-registration procedures are described
Registration by SMS The citizen can register by simply sending an SMS with the word ldquoregisterrdquo to 112 A response message is sent indicating that the userrsquos mobile phone number is now registered This message also encourages citizens to proceed to a dedicated page on the website whereby they can provide further information In the event that an SMS is received the information here can be used to assist the emergency services following a ldquolook-uprdquo by the call taker This procedure is being used in Ireland6 The Irish112 SMS system is open to all citizens
Registration by SMS and disclosure signature It is similar to the previously described procedure but a disclosure is sent to the user In some countries it recommends the user to continue to seek help in any other possible ways until the SMS is acknowledged by the PSAP After the disclosure is agreed by the citizen a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
On-line registration and agreement signature To be able to use SMS emergency service a pre registration
is needed using a Web page In some countries after registration an agreement is sent to the user for
signing In others conditions have to be read and agreed by the user in the same web site Once the procedure is completed a confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use This procedure (or similar) is being used in Sweden Spain (in some PSAPs) and others
Registration of user has some disadvantages SMS users may feel that they are not treated as voice call users ie in order to make a 112 call it is not
necessary to register Furthermore people do not like to be registered as a special group in a society If the citizen changes hisher mobile phone number heshe must register this new number again
Consequently this can cause inconsistencies in the database However if the citizen switches mobile phone network provider (and retains hisher mobile phone number re-registration is not required)
Administrative work has to be done to keep the database up-to-date
6 www112ie
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
9
One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
10
6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
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14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
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15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
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18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
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19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
9
One of the most important problems with this system is registration of travellers The need for communication via SMS may arise unexpected for individuals with not disabilities eg in
hostage situation or other circumstances where speech is either not possible or not feasible
Registration of user has also advantages To prevent irrelevant SMSs to 112 and thus minimize the risks of malicious SMS messages The user is informed in what situation SMS to use and how to communicate with the call-taker with SMS
messages which improves the call-handling time Accidental SMS messages meant for other numbers ( including spamming SMSs) are prevented
By actively agreeing on the terms of use the expectation is that misuse will be kept to a minimum By actively asking to register and informing for which group the service is primarily meant the number of
people not meant to use the service (those that can use voice) will stay at a minimum The user is informed of the limitations that the SMS services has like delays and non receiving so can take
this in consideration when in need of emergency assistance
52 Handling an SMS call
The handling of the SMS should be equivalent as much as possible as for emergency voice calls 112 SMS must not become a shortcut pass the 112 call queue The PSAP operator shall be warned when a SMS arrives to (her) his workstation The SMS ldquosessionrdquo with the citizen shall be considered as a conversation ie the operator should generally not receive other calls till the exchange of SMS with this citizen ends Multilingual voice calls to emergency services are an important issue for PSAPs (see Multilingual calls EENA Operations Document7 SMS can also be in different languages PSAPs operators may have also difficulties in
understanding meaning of words in other languages written in other alphabet (eg using Russian alphabet) Furthermore people with hearing or speech impairments might have different typing technique and shortenings Consequently a specialised training for PSAP operators handling emergency SMS is required
53 Pre-configured messages
SMS is a not real-time way of communication In order to try to decrease the time of conversation people who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency are encouraged to save draft messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs PSAPs shall also have pre-registered messages prepared with the most commonly used questions in their systems so they can quickly access to them and handle the call more easily according to protocols IT system in ERCs should have pre-configured messages for speeding up the call handling and risk
assessment according to protocols Examples of these pre-configured messages are
o Information about medical condition o Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of emergency o Exact addresses where the person may be at o Nature of possible emergencies
o Language(s) known by the person
If possible the position data should be connected to the phonersquos GPS device submitting the location automatically
7 Multilingual 112 Calls EENA Operations Documenthttpwwweenaorgressourcestaticfiles2012-02-25_3-1-4_mic-v-1pdf
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
10
6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
10
6 Recommendations
Stakeholders involved in managing emergency calls
Stakeholders Actions
National Regulator Supervision of the creation and functioning of the 112 SMS
service short code availability free of charge
Mobile network Operators Creation of a 112 shortcode Route 112 SMS to the most appropriate PSAP
European authorities Mandatory use of 112 SMS shortcode
Emergency services authorities Adaptation of PSAPs Integration in the information and telecommunication
system Creation of procedure to handle this type of calls Training to PSAP operators
Associations of people with disabilities Be involved in the adaptation of the 112 SMS service to their needs
7 EENA Requirements
Requirements
112 accessible using SMS Compulsory
SMS call handled as ldquosessionrdquo Compulsory
Pre-registration procedure (if needed) Maximum one day of registration time
SMS handling procedure described Compulsory
SMS handling procedure included in PSAP operatorrsquos training
Compulsory
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
11
ANNEX I Examples of implementations
Estonia
- SMS 112 Project in Estonia o The project started in 2011 o Deadline is 2012
- Potential users
o People with hearing impairment ndash 8-10 of population (around 130 000 )
o Capable of working - 12 000 ndash15 000 o Deaf people amongst working ndash 750 ndash1000 o People with speech impairment ndash 400
- Current system
o Fax as a main communication channel for disabled people o Disadvantages
The lack of mobility No communication channel outside the home
- Requirements for SMS112 users
o Registration in SMS112 system o Provide main information about state of health and disabilities o Provide information about main possible locations (home school work address)
o When project started in co-operation with disabled people they said they are aware about the disadvantages of SMS because they are using this service every day but it is for sure more comfortable and mobile way than fax
- Requirements for registration system
o Registration via ID digital card or Mobile ID o Registration is open for all people but promoted mostly amongst people with disabilities (at
the beginning) o User validation upon registration o Users phone numbers validity check o Mobile phone belonging check (sending SMS with control number) o Users input saving
o Blocking or disabling user account o Creating and managing groups (one group of people with disabilities is managed by one
supervisor) o All actions must be logged and kept for at least 6 months o Automatic user validation once a year
- SMS112 in dispatcher system interface In Estonia new case-handling software is in the process of
development with the SMS 112 logic and interface integration in mind
o SMS sign appearance and sound signalling upon receiving o Time and phone number included o If dispatcher accepted the SMS it becomes inactive to other dispatchers o One central case-handling system for all 4 PSAP and SMS is sent to the central system
o Regional PSAP sees SMS received from its local region Also possible to see all SMS112 messages all over the country or different combinations of regions
o Integrated chat window in case-handling system (SMS history + new arrived SMS) o Drag-and-drop questions from medical questionnaire to the chat window o Upon receiving first SMS112 preconfigured information (from registration system) about
sender is shown o Sending message to the sender with time information (period of arrival) about the dispatched
resource (depends on the priority of the case)
- SMS112 backup solution
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
12
o Smart phones or alternative handheld devices in every PSAP that would receive SMS112 in case of unavailability of case-handling system (one possible solution)
- SMS message template o Upon registration user receives minimum three templates For each general type of
emergency EMS rescue Police That could be saved and used in case of emergency
Iceland
- 2008 statistics o 257597 112 calls processed
o 05 SMS o 191410 emergency incidents (74) o Police 67 o Ambulance services 16 o Assistance from Fire Brigades 3
o 628 to Commisinons for Child Protection o Average time to answer 38 sec
o 95 answered within 8 sec o 80 of F1 dispatching processed in 90 sec or less time
- 112 SMS ldquocallsrdquo
o SMS has been used to dispatch response units for 10 years o The 112 SMS service was developed in cooperation with representatives from the deaf and
hearing impaired association
o The requirement analysis and PTT work began in May 2005 o The service was opened on April 6th 2006 o No charge for 112 SMS in the networks
- 112 SMS technical solution
o The 112 system communicates directly with the mobile operators SMS service
o The 112 dispatcher can select which mobile service provider to send through
o We receive delivery confirmation from the network 2-5 seconds after sending the SMS
- 112 SMS - how it works o When a SMS is received a sound and an alert message is displayed on the dispatchers
workstation o The incoming SMS is registered in the 112 system just like a phone call
o When the dispatcher opens the SMS message the system displays on the screen all the same database information as for a phone call
o Location is however unknown o The dispatcher responds to the SMS message and receives a delivery confirmation when it is
received by the cell phone o If the location is not communicated by the caller it can be determined by a call from a
landline phone or by a call from the cell phone
o The dispatcher has all the same possibilities to help the caller as in a telephone call
- 112 SMS
o To speed up the text communication the dispatcher can select from a number of predefined responses to send to the caller
o Such as What is your emergency Where are you Are you at home This is 112 do you need assistance
o People who may need to rely on 112 SMS in case of emergency is encouraged to save draft
messages in their cell phones with information that may be important when emergency occurs
o Such as
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
13
Information about medical condition Contact information about a friend or a relative that is to be contacted in case of
emergency
Exact addresses where the person may be at Nature of possible emergencies
Ireland
- 112 SMS launched in Ireland in January 2012 following a Consultation by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources The use of SMS to 112 was the predominantly called-for initative from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community The Pilot is targeted at this
community but it is open to use for all citizens - All mobile operators were asked to participate in a six month Pilot to assess functionality and usage
and 4 mobile operators have done so with the remainder due to participate in the Pilot shortly - All 112 SMS are aggregated by a service provider service and then forwarded to the PSAP - Registration is manadatory and this can be achieved by simply send an SMS with the key word
lsquoRegisterrsquo to the dedicated short code 112 followed by acknowledgement of registration and acceptance of Ts amp Cs
- A consumer website (www112ie) carries all of the explanation required and outlines the associated terms and conditions of the 112 SMS Pilot and offers users the facility to submit additional personal and medical details
- All such relevant personal and medical details are held on a PSAP database for cross-reference in the event that an emergency 112 SMS is received from the associated CLI
- Over 500 people registered as of 3112012
Luxembourg
- Project Accessibility for hearing impaired people o First contact at the end of 2005 start in may 2006 o Meetings with the responsible persons from the national deaf and hearing impaired association o Presentation of the SMS-system to all the concerned people (423 persons) during meetings o Elaboration of a flyer (in french and german) to inform concerned people
- Technical functioning o Transfer time between sending and receiving lt 5 seconds o No particular priority for 112-SMS in the networks o The sender receives a confirmation laquoSMS transmis Protection Civile-112raquo o Percentage rate incoming phone calls ndashSMS calls lt001
The Netherlands
- eSMS 112 Project in The Netherlands
o The project started December 2011 o Live date is July 2012
- Potential users
o The service is only promoted to the following user groups that cannot reach 112 because of their inability to communicate with 112 via regular two way speech
o People with hearing impairment
o People with speech impairment
- Background to emergency SMS trial o Real-time text service already exists in NL but this requires special terminalssoftware o Wish from deaf users we know the SMS limitations but want something that doesnrsquot need
specific devices or software
o Wish from the ministry (Safety and Justice) create a contingency facility for the defined user groups (hearing andor speech impaired people) when not at home when mobile internet is not available for mobile RTT users or when mobile users do not have RTT capabilities on their mobile phone
- Functionality
o Registration
o Managing white and blacklist
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
14
o User interface that looks alike the current user interface handling speech calls o Getting the best location possible through Cell ID GPS WIFI or any other means possible o Conversations must be recorded and retrievable (initially stored for 2 months)
o Per defined text response buttons to prevent typing the same message over and over again o Sending an SMS to 112 will be free of charge
- Registration of users
o To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed o We will work with pre-registration to limit use by those that have better options Although we
will (for now) not limit registration to people that have been checked to be part of the designated user group
o This registration is done via a SMS sign up process o After signing up a disclosure is sent to the user that the user has to agree with These
disclosure holds instructions including telling the users they must continue to seek help in any other way possible until text is acknowledged by PSAP
o A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to inform that the service is ready to use
o When a person sends a SMS without being registered it will get an automated response
- Technology o New software will be developed to make the SMS pop up on the incoming task list at the
PSAP And then give the call taker a integrated tool to handle the SMS conversation o First there will be a version on a separate workstation to test the technology and process
before integrating it with the live 112 platform based on Avaya technology
o The system will work with a ldquowhite listrdquo for people that are registered and a ldquoblack listrdquo for people that have been actively excluded (for example because of improper use of the service)
o There will be a interactive process to ldquolearnrdquo the system suggesting actions for example which department to contact
o There will be an automated process handling predefined situations for example empty SMS messages to prevent unnecessary workload on the call takers in the PSAP
o We will test if it is possible to use the phonersquos knowledge of itrsquos location to pinpoint the location of the caller
- Challengesfuture functionality
o Manageable automated reactions by functional managers o Forwarding gathered information to the second line PSAPresponders o Combining SMS and data (location or other predefined information) in the same
ldquoconversationrdquo o Extend storage of conversation when it is part of legal procedure o Combining speech and SMS in the same ldquoconversationrdquo o Smart phone application to support getting information to the PSAP
Sweden
Background - PTS has a responsibility to ensure that crucial services related to eg telephony and Internet are
available to persons with functional impairment - Objective of SMS 112 Enable people with hearing or speech impairment to contact emergency
services in the event of an emergency using text messages
SMS 112 project and trials
- Project started in 2003
- Service is open to people with speech or hearing impairment only - Prior registration is required to use the service
Trial SMS 112 2006-2008 in Sweden
- During December 2006 ndashSeptember 2008 112 SMS was tested with real users and real emergencies - 1329 users we expected about 20000 - Handling time 14 minutes average is more than expected
- The number of emergencies was fewer than expected - 36 real 112 SMS calls during the test period
Registration of users
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
15
- To be able to use 112 SMS a pre registration is needed - This is done on a Web page - After registration an agreement is sent to the user for signing
- A confirmation SMS is sent to the user to verify that the service is ready to use Challenges
- Getting people to register for the service Despite information campaigns still low interest or lack of knowledge
- Many people with speech or hearing impairment have sign language as their primary language and
are not always fluent in the written language Technology
- New software was developed to give the call taker a tool to handle the SMS conversation Today as a stand alone system but we are planning to integrate the software in SOS Alarms operational system Zenit
- It was a hard job to get all telecom operators to implement a 112 SMS service
- To secure the service 2 PSAPS are selected to receive the 112 SMS Example of a 112 SMS conversation
1706 Caller Car accident on the exit of kopparvaumlgen on the highway to inre ringvaumlgen 1708 SOS Alarm How many cars and people are involved 1708 Caller 2 cars one is damaged in the rear 1708 SOS Alarm How many people
1708 Caller 3 people 2 cars 1708 SOS Alarm Is there a need of an ambulance 1709 Caller Everybody is out of the cars 1709 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway 1709 SOS Alarm We will send help 1710 SOS Alarm Is it on the highway
1710 Caller Yes 1711 SOS Alarm Is it on the north or south exit
1712 SOS Alarm Ambulance and rescue service is on the way Information about the 112 SMS service
- Cooperation between many organizations for disabled - Good attention in media
- Created a Webb page for this purpose - Meetings with local and national organizations for disabled to inform on how to use the service
PSAP Training
- SOS Alarms call takers were trained by people from the national organization of deaf - This was very useful we learned how to chat in a SMS styled used by people with hearing problems - People with multi handicap can be very difficult to understand training was needed
What we have learned
- It works - The handing time of SMS calls is longer than we expected - Delays in SMS can create confusion questions and answers can be mixed
- Registration services screens of misuse but gives fewer users of the service
- SMS 112 is an important safety issue for people who can not use the normal 112 service - We have not found a way to make these SMSes free of charge - It is a simple and not a perfect service but it works - Positioning was not a part of this trial but we can position a 112 SMS user in the same way as any
other mobile phone user End of the pilot implementing the service
- The pilot ended in 2011 - The service is included in the agreement between SOS Alarm and the Swedish state from 2012-01-01 - The SMS service is thereby an official way of reaching 112 - May 2012 2214 registered users - 84 incoming calls 43 real emergencies (2011)
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
16
- Average handling time 29 minutes (2011) - Ongong implementation of software for handling the SMS service in SOS Alarms operational system
Zenit
- Service should be fully integrated in Zenit 2013
UK
Background to emergency SMS trial
- Real-time text service already exists in UK ndash requires special terminals (modem based)
- Demand from deaf users know SMS limitations but want something that fits with how they normally communicate
- Police services in some areas of the UK already had (different) SMS contact numbers - Limitations and risks of SMS outweighed by user view that
o current situation is often even riskier (where a person can make no report by voice and has
to spend time searching for someone to make a voice call to report an incident) o no current widely available alternatives to SMS
- Trial commenced 14 September 2009 Trial objectives
- Single national access mechanism for SMS messages to the 999 service for speech and hearing impaired users
- In addition to real time text service (modem based) - Registration of users to limit use by those that have better options (open registration in that users
do not have to provide any personal details only the telephone number is registered) - Specific instruction when users register users told they must continue to seek help until text is
acknowledged by a PSAP - Direct access to all the emergency service stage 2 PSAPs that should not need to make changes to
their call handling equipment - Access to same automated location systems that are available to voice and text phone calls
- Ability to bar nuisance callers from the service
- Ability to transfer text session to a second PSAP Current Service (trial was successful)
- Registered Users ndash steadily increasing currently 30000 (32012) o Registration allows conditions of use to be communicated and limits misuse of the service o Promotion through Associations representing those with hearing or speech difficulties
- Use for genuine emergencies averages 2 incidents day o comfort message sent early (within 1 minute ) o average duration of message exchange ~12 minutes
- Inappropriate use (from registered users) is around 7 sms contacts day o good intention not an emergency accounts for 5 of the 7 inappropriate texts o no clear problemabusive o nuisance texters
o hoax messages (Use ldquobarringrdquo of MSISDN from eSMS to further reduce misuse)
- Training
o Relay Assistants and PSAP call takers o Processes developed training guides circulated o limit call takers if possible develop local experts
- Summary eSMS Trial with registered users in UK has demonstrated that such a service is helpful and practical to provide and itrsquos now a longterm service which mobile networks have to provide as a regulatory obligation
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
17
ANNEX II COCOM FIFTH REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1128
AVAILABILITY of 112 AVAILABILITY OF 112 FOR DISABLED END-USERS
Access to 112 by means other than voice communication
Measures ensuring equivalent access to 112 for disabled end-users
Standards or technical specifications used by the MS
to ensure that travelling disabled end-users from other MS can access 112
Possibility to obtain caller location information for
mobile and fixed subscriber using other means of access to 112 than voice
communication
Austria No There are no specific measures concerning 112 but there are separate numbers
(eg 0043800133133) which are reachable via SMS or fax
na No
Belgium Fax No No No
Bulgaria No No No No
Cyprus Telefax or SMS on incumbets dedicated number
No No No
Czech Republic No The access of hearing
or speech impaired users is possible by
using special technical equipment through dedicated call center of operator Telefoacutenica Czech Republic
na No
Denmark Text relay Persons with disabilities such as deafness and impaired speech can be provided with a non-
public telephone number by which they can send SMS directly to 112
na Yes for SMS
Estonia disabled people can use fax and SMS (starting with end
of 2011)
na There is an opportunity to
develop SMS-112 service after implementing so that travelling disabled end-users can access
112 in Estonia
It depends on particular type
of access
Finland SMS using a different GSM number ndash advertised to
112 SMS system to be launched in 2015 112
In order to serve travellers it is
In case of emergency SMS
8 Implementation of the European emergency number 112 ndash Results of the fifth data-gathering round
httpeceuropaeuinformation_societyactivities112docscocom2012pdf
Annex httpcircaeuropaeuPublicircinfsococom1libraryl=public_2012cocom12-01_2011pdf_EN_10_ampa=d
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
18
disabled users SMS messages are handled in the same
queue as 112 calls or eCalls in the future At the moment the plan is primarily to focus the service to persons with disabilities and
require a pre-registration from the users
anticipated that in 112 SMS
system the emergency centres can handle the same languages as in case of
emergency calls
the CLI is always delivered to the
emergency centre with the SMS message
France No to 112 but as of 14092011 SMS and fax is available for deaf and hard
of hearing people on a
nationwide 114 number
Starting with 14 September 2011 a national relay centre
for deaf people can be
reached with SMS or fax to the 114 number
The usage of 114 for users of non-national
operators is not
technically feasible
No But there is caller location for SMS sent to
the 114 number
Germany Fax for disabled users Message via Fax No No
Greece No but some mobile operators are technically ready to provide SMS access if required
No na na
Hungary Not to 112 but for disabled
people there are SMS numbers for emergency services and there is e-mail addresses too but not promoted and practically not used
No No No
Ireland Relay and SMS (end of
November 2011)
SMS will be made
available at the end of 2011 for hard of hearing users
na na for mobile
caller location for SMS is not technically possible in real time but it can
be achieved
Italy No but some trials are ongoing
na No
Latvia No but an SMS service for
people with disabilities is planned to be rolled out
No No
Lithuania No na No na
Luxembourg SMS and fax for disabled users
SMS or FAX services
available also for travelling
disabled end users from other Member Status
Yes by SMS For Tango accuracy
is identical as for Voice no for
fixed
Malta No No
Netherlands Real time text since May 2011 For analogue text phone users a free of charge emergency number 0800- 8112
Travelling disabled end-users can reach 112 Netherlands in every member
state if they are provided with internet access Routing these
For mobile location Not yet available for real-time text To be realised
Q4 2011 My SOS sends GPS location verbal Location
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
19
end-users to local PSAP
doesnrsquot make sense Deaf users canrsquot write foreign languages Signlanguage is
not suitable because every country uses his own
information for eSMS is under
investigation
Poland under consideration na No
Portugal SMS solution for deaf people through a specific number
na na
Romania No na na
Slovakia No na na
Slovenia WAP112 service is available - text emergency call to 112 Introducing SMS as well as video
na na
Spain Most centres allow SMS
Chat or fax Access via SMS or chat is directed to people with auditory disability
na No
Sweden SMS service is intended for persons with disabilities The
users must be registered before using it
na For mobile Yes currently
implementing this for the SMS 112 service to be ready in
2013 For Fixed subscriber only voice services
offered from number in the E164 numbering plan
United
Kingdom
a via SMS ndash requires
preregistration b via text relay using appropriate terminals using ITU v21 over the PSTN (with access code 18000)
Visitors to the
UK can register for emergency SMS provided that they have a UK SIM card in their mobile handset SIM
cards are
available from vending machines at airports and from retail outlets The
emergency SMS service uses the text relay service provided by BT which is only offered in
English Voice calls to 112 in
112 can be
contacted via text relay service in which case the location accuracy is identical to an equivalent voice
call Yes for
mobile Emergency SMS allows the cell the caller is in to be seen This is the same as for
voice calls
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year
EENA Operations Document ndash SMS Access to 112
EENA asbl
infoeenaorg - wwweenaorg is a non-for-profit association
20
the UK that are made in
languages other than English can have translators brought in
Croatia No Plans for SMS na na
Iceland SMS na na
Lichtenstein No
Norway SMS to number 208 which is
not dedicated for but emergency SMSs to this number will be handled
Travelling
disabled end-users from other Member States
will most probably have to
register to grant access to the
SMS service for 112 The same requirement will be in place for requirement as for residents
For fixed
subscriber Caller location information is also possible when using text
phone Other means of access
to 112 is currently not provided but the use of SMS may be possible within one year For mobile
subscriber use of SMS may be possible within one year